Friday, April 13, 2012

Welcome to the Fairytale Wishes Blog-We hope that you will find news and information here that will provide you and your children with "Happily Ever Afters"

We found a great article that was published by the Children's Anxiety Institute that we thought was interesting.

Here is a portion of the article with the link attached for more information:

There are a number of factors that can affect stress and anxiety in children and teens; however, sleep – or lack thereof – plays a major factor in how children and teens react to stress. It’s clear that sleep deprivation can exacerbate anxiety symptoms; on the other hand, sleep disorders may actually cause anxiety, according to the Anxiety Disorders Association of America (ADAA).

Does your child snore? It could be sleep apnea. While not all people who snore suffer from sleep apnea, it’s worth looking into if snoring is an issue with your child or teen. According to Steven Y. Park, MD, sleep apnea causes increased levels of carbon dioxide in the body, which, in turn, increases acid levels in the amygdala and “triggers fear and panic attacks.” Why does this occur? Because the amygdala area of the brain is where fear and behavior are processed.

Most likely, your child is not suffering from sleep apnea but rather creating a sleep debt that accumulates over time. Unfortunately, lack of sleep causes a number of physical and emotional problems that can trigger anxiety attacks as well as exacerbate existing problems in children and teens.

The solution may be as simple as getting kids to bed earlier. For parents of young children, scheduled bedtimes are often a part of everyday life; however, even when put to bed early, children with anxiety may lie awake at night with negative thoughts, perpetuating a cycle of sleeplessness. Teens, on the other hand, are often permitted to choose their bedtime, which means they’re often sleep deprived the next day at school.

It’s a fact: Children and teens need a lot of sleep. Babies need an average of 14 hours of sleep a day while adolescents need about nine to ten hours a day. Many parents don’t realize that once children approach puberty, their internal “sleep clock” resets, signaling them to go to bed later; however, that doesn’t mean they need less sleep. It just means that they may be incapable of getting to sleep at an early hour. Often, family squabbles ensue over bedtime rituals when, in reality, a child approaching adolescence may have no control over when he or she can fall asleep.

How do sleep habits affect stress and anxiety levels? Plenty. Furthermore, because sleep deprivation is often cumulative, the effects can intensify. It pays to become well-educated on the causes and cures of sleep deprivation. LInk to the article follows: http://childrenwithanxiety.com/articles-resources/sleep-habits-can-affect-levels-of-stress-and-anxiety-in-children-and-teens

It is our feeling that especially with young children, bedtime rituals become extremely important and effective when trying to get children to form great sleep habits.

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I am the mom of two wonderful children and the wife of a fantastic husband. I manufacture and distribute magical aromatherapy sprays for kids to help them with common childhood fears and anxieties. I manufacture all of my products in the USA and use ingredients derived from natural sources. My mission is to give children everywhere a "Happily Ever After"